19 August 2007

The Kitchen within a Kitchen

We're always interested in discussing trends in kitchen design. People want to know what's hot and what's not. Whenever anyone considers remodeling their kitchen, they're generally spending a lot of hard-earned money to do it. So homeowners, like you, want to know what might be a wise investment and what might be a catastrophic renovation.

I found a article on KIROTV.com called "Beyond Fads: 5 Trends in Kitchen Design That Are Here to Stay" and here is my favorite section of it, on putting a 'kitchen within a kitchen':

"As more Americans build homes with kitchens that are open to living and dining rooms, kitchens are being treated more like any other room in the house, with elaborate moldings, specialty lighting, and finely crafted floor and ceilings. 'People need their kitchen to be expandable and collapsible, too,' Cheever added. 'On the weeknights, they need to be able to navigate their kitchen quickly when they're just warming up a simple meal. But on the weekends, they need it to open up enough so they can prepare a fancy gourmet meal and entertain a large group of friends while they are cooking.'

As a result, designers are creating quick prep areas where a small sink, cutting board, and microwave are close together. Larger homes are often using a small butler's pantry off the main kitchen for this purpose, with a clean up sink, microwave, prep area and small refrigerator.
The butler's pantry has the added convenience of keeping dirty dishes out of the way while entertaining, and storing large amounts of serve ware, linens and china.

Cheever noted that customers are also putting in larger sinks in the island, to make a food prep zone, and placing larger farmhouse sinks along the back wall for more elaborate "clean up centers.' 'The days when kitchens always had one sink right under the kitchen window appear to be over,' Cheever said."

If you'd like to discuss some of your kitchen remodeling plans with a designer, you can post your project with ConstructionDeal.com and we'll match you with local pros. For free. It's a fast, free & easy way to find a kitchen remodeling company.

14 August 2007

Product Review - Intelligent Ovens

If you're going to be remodeling your kitchen, it's a good idea to know about the latest and most innovative products on the market today. Whether you're a diehard chef or you just like to make your own pizza, the oven is a central component of any new kitchen.

The latest trend in kitchen design is an intelligent oven. An intelligent oven, similar to a "smart home", is one that can be communicated with, operated remotely, and programmed to perform menial tasks.

Imagine an oven that is capable of keeping food cold. You prepare a meal the night before and place it in your refrigerated oven. The next day, you call your oven and it heats up and cooks the meal. By the time you get home, dinner is ready to serve!

Today, it's possible. TMIO Intelligent Ovens has a single and a double oven product that can refrigerate food, allowing for cool storage, and can be contacted via telephone, cell phone, and the Internet. The Connect IO Intelligent Oven is a 30" single or dual oven with state-of-the-art electronics and design.

These options are listed on the company's official site:
  • Refrigeration for Cooking Later
  • Telephone Remote Control
  • Star-K Certified Kosher Sabbath & Holiday Modes
  • Freedom to Eat Healthy Meals At Home Anytime
  • Easy-to-Use Touchscreen Controls & Menus
  • Touchscreen Displays
  • Microsoft Media Center Plug & Play Ready
  • Green Clean Energy Efficient, Environmentally Conscious Self-Cleaning
  • Oven Temperature Sensing Meat Probes
  • 2000W Concealed Bake Element
  • 3300W 10-Pass Broil Element
  • True European Advanced Third Element Convection
  • Proofing, Defrosting, Dehydrating
  • SmoothSwing Oven Doors
  • SpotStar Bright Halogen Lighting
  • Full Size Porcelain Broiler Pan
  • Largest Viewing Area in Its Class
  • Largest Oven Capacity in Its Class
  • Professional Quality Oven Racks

  • It's definitely a luxury option with the double oven running about $7500. But, if you're truly upgrading your kitchen, you might want to consider a high-end product here and there that can really help you maximize your time to prepare home-cooked meals. This oven might be a great option for your newly remodeled kitchen.

    Keep ConstructionDeal.com in mind if you're looking to remodel your kitchen or add the Intelligent Oven to your home. We have a network of kitchen contractors and remodeling companies to help with your dream kitchen project.